Catamenial sac



Patented Feb. 2, 1943 UNITED .STATES rruilt-:1yr orifice oATAME-NIAL sAoIsaac W. Robertson, Los Angeles, Cal-if. Application January 1o,1939,'ser'ia1N0. 250,131

a claims. (ci. '123;285)

rI'his invention relates to catamenial devices.

An object of the invention is to provide a device of the characterdescribed which will effectively retain catamenial discharge and whichby being fitted into the-vagina obviates the use of bulky uncomfortablepads or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide in open-ended hollowrrubber articles improved means for providing a distended or enlargedportion on said article.

Another object of the invention is to provide a catamenial sac adaptedeffectively to t within the vagina with the opening of the sac influidsealing relation around the cervix of the uterus, means beingprovided for modifying the sac to iit vaginas of various sizes.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a catamenial dischargesac of the character described means for preventing the walls of the sacfrom sticking together to interfere with the efficiency thereof and forretaining such discharge in the sac without spilling the same as the sacis being removed from the vagina.

These and other objects will be manifest from the following briefdescription and the accompanying drawing.

Of the accompanying drawing:

Figure l is a side elevation, partly broken away and in section, of acatamenial sac embodying the invention before insertion of the retainingring and absorbent pad.

Figure 2 is a plan View, partly broken away and in section, of aretaining ring for the Sac.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 of the sac with the retainingring and absorbent pad inserted therein.

Figure 4 is a. longitudinal anatomical crosssection through a uterus andvagina illustrating the improved catamenial sac inserted in the vaginaand tted about the cervix for use.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the numeral Ill designates a catamenialsac preferably of thin,

flexible, impervious material such as rubber latex, having an enlargedportion II at the open end. A suitable bead I2, preferably of smallerdiameter than the enlarged portion of the sac, may be provided toreinforce the openn ing I3 in the sac.

For retaining the mouth I3 of the sac in huid-sealing relation aroundthe cervix I4 (Fgure 4), a ring l5 preferably of coiled Wire I5 coveredwith a protective coating of rubber I'I may be provided. Ring I5 readilymay be in serted inside the sac I at the enlarged end thereof, as shownin Figure 3, These rings may be supplied in various sizes to fit thecervix of the uterus as required without necessarily changingv thesizeof the SargasY best shown in chain-dotted lines'. The sac may havestraight sides adjacentthemouth thereof and yet` produce' the resultshown in Figure 3; the bulge Il 'serving as a'guideto simplify properposi# tioning of the ring at the mouth of the sac.`

' A wick or pad I8 of suitable size may be inserted in the sac l0 toprevent the walls thereof from sticking together when the sac is in use(see Figure 4), Wick I8 preferably being of uid absorbing materialadapted to absorb the catamenial discharge to enable ready removal ofthe sac without spilling the contents. 1t is to be understood, however,that other absorbent material, such as pulp or clay preparations, may beused in place of wick I8.

It will be seen that since the diameter of bead ring I2 of sac l0preferably is smaller than the diameter of retaining ring I5, there isprovided a flanged portion IIS comprising spaced annular portions of thewall of the sac eX- tending angularly outwardly thereof in parallelism.

For use for the described purposes of the invention, the assembleddevice, shown in Figure 3, with a piece of moisture absorbent materialI8 in the sac IG, is readily retained in a vagina by yieldingly engagingthe ring E5 between the posterior fornix and the symphysis pubis,whereby the ring will be in fluid-sealing engagement with the vaginalwall around the cervix of the uterus. Due to the iiexibility of ring i5and the yielding nature'of the vaginal wall the ring will readily adaptitself to the shape of said wall without applying a material degree ofpressure thereto. The outer flexible annular wall of ange IIab providesadditional uuid-sealing action against the wall of the vagina. Ring I5,by being interchangeable with other rings of varying diameters, greatlyfacilitates original fitting of the sac iii to suit the size of thevagina of the user. Thus the improved catamenial device provideseffective means for collecting the menstrual iiow with little or nodiscomfort to the wearer, and without unsightly bulges which usuallyexist when other types of catamenial devices are used.

Modifications of the invention may be resorted. to without departingfrom the spirit thereof or the scope of the appended claims.

For example, it has been found that the ring I5 may be applied to theoutside of the sac so as to` distend a portion of the wall thereofturned inwardly around the ring, the result being substantially the sameas shown in Figure 3, except that the relative positions of the spacedannular portions of the wall forming the flange I Iab are reversed. Theinvention is not limited to use in catamenial devices. In a similarmanner the rings I5 may be utilized to provide distended or enlargedportions in other hollow open-ended articles such as rubber gloves.

What is claimed is:

1. A catamenial or like device of the character described comprising asac of impervious, elastic material, said lsac being provided with anannular enlarged portion adjacent the open end thereof, and a separateretaining ring removably and replaceably received in said enlargement,the diameter of said ring being substantially greater than the diameterof said enlarged portion to distend said enlarged portion outwardly andthereby provide a flanged portion around the mouth of the sac, theinherent elasticity of said sac retaining said ring in place therein,said sac and ring assembly beingv adapted to be retained within a vaginaby engaging said ring between the posterior forniX and the symphysispubis to provide a uid seal with the wall of the vagina around` thecervix of the uterus.

2. A catamenial or like device of the character described comprising asac of thin, impervious, elastic material, the wall of said sac beingprovided with an enlarged annular portion at the mouth thereof, and aseparate ring of relatively greater diameter than said enlarged portion,said ring being retained in said enlarged portion by distending the Wallthereof, said distended wall forming a exible iianged portion at themouth of the sac, said sac and ring assembly being adapted to beretained within a vagina by engaging said ring between the posteriorfornix and the symphysis pubis of the vagina to retain the mouth of thesac in sealed relation with the wall of the vagina around the cervix ofthe uterus.

3. In an article of the character described the combination of a hollowopen-ended sac of ilexible, elastic material, said sac being providedwith an annular enlarged portion adjacent said open end, and a separateretaining ring of relatively greater .diameter than the wall of saidenlarged portion whereby the ring is adapted to be removably retainedwithin the enlargement by distending the wall thereof outwardly.

ISAAC W. ROBERTSON.

